13

Executive Summary Policy Context There is currently no overarching Blue Biotechnology policy or strategy in Europe as a whole although Ireland, Denmark and Norway already have national policies in place. A number of strategic documents have been published as an outcome of science policy and research initiatives which have been implemented over the last decade or so. These have laid the foundations for a future vision and strategy for Blue Biotechnology across Europe. This activity has provided Europe with a future direction for Blue Biotechnology which addresses coordination and collaboration within Europe, identified research priorities, defined common interests within Europe, and highlighted the opportunities and potential for marine biotechnology as well as identifying some challenges to the growth of a Blue Biotechnology sector. The European Commission (EC) has acknowledged the potential of Blue Biotechnology in Europe through its Communication on Blue Growth1 and European Bioeconomy Strategy2, both of which identify Blue Biotechnology as a sector which has the potential to contribute to the bioeconomy and economic growth in general. Furthermore, European Union (EU) research policy has been responsive to the growing awareness of the importance of Blue Biotechnology: the EU has funded, and will continue to fund, key research into marine biotechnology through its Framework Programmes for Research: FP6, FP7 and Horizon 2020. The EU’s new Horizon 2020 strategy and support programme3 specifically mentions Blue Biotechnology and marine biomass as contributors to the economy of the future. There have been major projects under the 6th and 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP6 and FP7) that have been focused on science policy, coordination, infrastructures and support of marine biotechnology, the outcomes of which provide key contributions to developing a European strategy. This study was conducted in support of the development of potential policy options for the EU and a possible impact assessment for marine or Blue Biotechnology as it can be termed in the context of furthering the aims of Blue Growth. To this end, a review of the status of Blue Biotechnology within the EU has been conducted along with the construction of a database of stakeholders in Blue Biotechnology and a patent profiling across the field. Furthermore, a stakeholder workshop has been held in order to obtain direct inputs from participants regarding opportunities and challenges of the sector. Additional views have been obtained from of the EU public consultation on the initiative. State of Play: Importance of Blue Biotechnology The Blue Biotechnology sector is diverse and encompasses a number of sub-sectors in which marine biotechnology applications are used. There are overlaps between the Blue Biotechnology and other biotechnology sectors and industries. However, there is a defining and unique characteristic of the Blue Biotechnology sector and that is its use of resources of marine origin. Processes and actions specific to this help define it and allow it to be distinguished from other biotechnology sectors. 1 European Commission, 2012, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Blue Growth: Opportunities for marine and maritime sustainable growth, COM (2012) 494 final, http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/policy/blue_growth/documents/com_2012_494_en.pdf 2 European Commission, 2012, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Innovating for Sustainable Growth: A Bioeconomy for Europe, COM (2012) 60 final, http://ec.europa.eu/research/bioeconomy/pdf/201202_innovating_sustainable_growth_en.pdf 3 European Commission, Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014-2015 in the area of Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy, Important notice, http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/h2020-sections Study in support of Impact Assessment work on Blue Biotechnology i

14 Publizr Home